Conveying apparatus.



No. 637,l43. Patented Nov. I4,.|899. T.- S. MILLER.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Dec. 81, 1898.) um Mod 0|.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS.

Nu. 637,!43. Patented Nov. 14, I899.

T. s. MILLER.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Dec. 81, 1898.) (No Model.) I 3 Sheets$heet 2.

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N0. 6-37,|43. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

T. s. MILLER CONVEYING APPARATUS.

. (Applica-tion filed. Dec. 81, 189B.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shout 3 4 J M WITNUSES, INVENTOR B i ATTORNEYS,

IN: mills PCYERS co. PHOTCH 140. wnsmucrmu u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS sPENoE MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,143, dated November 14,- isee; I

Application filed December 31, 1898. Serial No. 700,836. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SPENCER MIL- LER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Conveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of my invention is to provide for the conveyance of coal or other commodities between boats at sea.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the best mode in which I have thus far contemplated applying the principle of my invention, which, however, may be applied in various other forms.

Figurel isaside view of two ships equipped with an apparatus according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of the same enlarged. Fig. 3 is a side view of the load-carriage. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 5 is a side view of the forward and backward actuators and mechanism for operating the same. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same with one of the actuators in section. I

A is a ship to which coal, provisions, mail, or other commodity is to be delivered from the ship B. G is a rope connecting the two ships. The ship A is provided with propelling mechanism, so that while the apparatus is in operation the propelling mechanism on the ship A causes it to pull the ship B through the pull-line G. If, as is preferable, the ship B is not anchored, this pulling action will tow the boat B along, but otherwise if the ship B is at anchor. In either case, however, the propelling of the ship A in a direction away from the ship B, to which it is attached by the pull-line C, will serve to maintain as uniform a distance between the ships as the elements will permit.

D is a load-support, from which the load is suspended while in transit. In the particular form of load-support shown in the drawings it is a carriage provided with wheels that run' upon a rope across the span.

E is a transit-rope extending from an elevated support F on one boat to an elevated supportG on the other. If the transit-motor hereinafter described is wholly located ofi of the ship A, as I prefer and as hereinafter particularly described, the transit-rope E will in some manner suitable for moving the loadsupport. The method of fastening I prefer is by such a gripping engagement as is indicated in Fig. 4;, where the upper branch e of the transit-rope is gripped between the block 01, fixed between the side plates 01 d of the load-support, and the block d A yoke d causes the blocks 01 and d to clamp between them the transit-rope with any desired degree of firmness necessary for traction and yet with sufficient lack of firmness to permit the transit-rope to slip through the load-carriage, and thus prevent breakage if the loadcarriage happens to strike an obstruction. d and d are wheels journaled in the side frames d and d and which enable the loadsupport to run as a carriage upon a rope crossing the spanas, for example, upon the lower branch e of the transit-rope itself.

H is a transit-motor by which motion is imparted to the transit-rope; Preferably,though not necessarily, it consist-s of two transit-actuators-an outward transit-actuator and an inward transit-actuatorengaging, respectively, with different parts of the transit-rope and each independently controllable as to power. Preferably, also, though not necessarily, they are driven by a common primemover actuator, by controlling the speed of which the transit-actuators may be further controlled as ,to,speed of motion. Preferably also, though not necessarily, the actuating power'is produced by the pressure of a fluid, such as steam, water, or gas. The preferable form of constructing such actuators and prime mover may be described as follows:

h is the forward actuator, which consists of a friction-rope drum that may be constructed, operated, and frictionally controlled substantially as shown in United States Patout No. 541,308, dated June 18, 1895. h is the backward actuator, which may consist of a rope-drum similarly constructed, operated, and frictionally controlled. Gear-wheels of both rope-drums are driven by a shaft 7L3, which is driven by a suitable motor, such as the power of steam or other fluid in the engine-cylinder h. The attendant may start, stop, and control the speed of the motor and thereby of the two actuators h and 7L2 jointly. He may also control the power of each actuator independently by means of its friction connection with its motor. the transit-rope E are connected with the drums h and h', respectively, in such manner that in operation said drums tend to pull on the transit-rope antagonistically. Vhen pulling against each other with equal power, both drums may remain at rest by the slipping of both their frictions. \Vhen the operator adjusts the frictions so that the power of one exceeds that of the other, the transitrope will be hauled in by the most powerful actuator, while the least powerful actuator will act as a tension device, as it is compelled to pay out the transit-rope. Either or both actuators are ready to quickly take in any slack of the transit-rope that may be caused bythelurchingof the boatstoward each other or to give out any additional length of transitrope required by the lurching, of the boats away from each other during, the transit operation. During the forward transit, with the load I- suspended from the load support, greater friction will be applied to the forward actuator h than to the backward actuator W,- but sufficient friction will be applied to the backward actuator 7L2 to cause it to supply sufficient tension for holding the load at a proper normal elevation in crossing the span. During the backward transit of the unloaded load-support less friction will be applied to the forward transit-actuator it than to the backward transit-actuator 7L2, and the friction on the forward transit-actuator h may be lightened, so as to reduce the tension which it exerts upon the transit-rope to a minimum and even to the extent of permit-tinge, the transit-rope to sag and rest in the water, if desired. Therefore, if desired, the tension strain upon the parts of the apparatus and between the two boats necessary for maintaining the load at a normal elevation may be exerted only while the load is actually in transit.

A desirable form of mechanism for actuating, and controlling the forward and backward actuators is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which may be described as follows: The fluidpressure in the cylinders 714 drives the shaft 7L5, which drives the gear-wheel 7L5, fixed to the drum-shaft h, and the gear-wheel 7L7, fixed to the drum-shaft 7L8. Both of the drumshafts h and 72 are therefore continuously driven in the same direction at the same speed, so that they tend to drive the drums h and h in such direction as to tend to cause both drums to either haul in or pay out at the same time. The drum 7?. is loose on the shaft h, but by any well-known mechanism may be shoved toward the spur-wheel 72. so

Opposite ends of as to press the friction-surfaces 71. and it together with a power within the control of the operator at the lever 7L. The drum h runs loose on the shaft it and the sleeve h, which is splined to the shaft. At one end the drum [L is provided with a disk frictionsurface h, which codperates with the disk friction-surface h, fixed to the spur-Wheel h At the opposite end the drum 71 is provided with a disk friction-surface h, which cooperates with a disk friction-surface h fixed to arms h", projecting from the sleeve h 7B is a gib operated in a well-known manner from the hand-lever 72. Between the gib h and the end of the sleeve 12. is the coil-spring k The spring 71. is interposed in the train of mechanism between the lever 7t and the friction-surfaces by which the drum h is driven. The power of said spring will determine and maintain with reasonable constancy the tension of the drum [1.2 upon the rope branch e Vhen therefore the lever h is set so as to compress the spring W", the friction-surfaces of the drum It will slip and the drum will pay out as long as the pull of the rope branch 6 against it exceeds its tension, as may be the case when the vessels lurch away from each other or when the operator has forced the friction-surfaces of drum it together so that their tension exceeds the tension of the friction-surfaces at the drum 72, 011 the other hand, whenever the pull on the rope branch 6 is less than the tension of the drum 7L2 that drum will haul in, as may be the case when the vessels lurch suddenly toward each other or the operator eases up on the friction-surfaces at the drum h. The operator, therefore, may set thelever so as to produce an amount of compression of the spring 75 equivalent to the tension that he desires the drum h to operate under and may leave the lever h so set and may then give his entire attention to the lever h, by the operation of which he may increase the IIO power of the forward-actuating drum it above I or may reduce it below the tension of the backward-actuating drum 71. I have shown the drum h as of larger diameter than the drum h which produces a differential action that I prefer because it tends to act with greater quickness upon the rope.

The support l may be provided with sheaves fandfiover whioh,respectively,the branches of the transit-rope E may extend down to the transit-motor H, if the same be mounted upon the deck of the ship B. 9 may be provided with an abutment g, against which apparatus mounted upon the carriage may strike, so as to automatically detach the load from its support and allow it to drop it onto an inclined apron J, down which it may slide to the deck of the ship A. The loads may be elevated from the deck of the ship B to the level of the load-support D in an elevator-box K, running on guides 70, and hoisted by a rope 7c and drum k or by any other suitable means.

The block of sheave When a load is presented at the level of the load-support, it is desirable that the load-support should be capable of pickingit up automatically, and for that purpose the following mechanism is provided: Each load is provided with a bail 11, which as the load-support approaches the end of its backward transit is held in line to receive a hook Z, pivoted to the carriage-frame at Z. This hook is shown in Fig. 4 in its supporting position and in Fig. 3 in its discharging position. In its supporting position it is held by a latch Z pressed by the spring Z When the hookl has once passed into the bail i, as shown in Fig. 4, it is prevented from accidentally escaping while the hook is in supporting position by the guard Z which is held by the spring 6 against the pins Z and Z". The hook is so balanced on the pivot Z that it returns itself to the supporting position against the pin Z whenever unloaded, but the weight of the load is sufficient to swing it downward whenever released by the latch Z This release is accomplished by the striking of the latch against the abutment g, as shownin Fig. 3. Pendent from the lower part of the carriage is a weight 1, which serves to prevent the upsetting of the carriage and the winding of the transit-rope members 6' and 6 around themselves when the load is dropped.

In order that the apparatus may meet the varying conditions due to the lurching of the ships with the greatest certainty and quickness, I construct and operate the outward transit-actuator so as to run at a speed adapted to actuate the transit-rope ata speed greater than the relative motion between said boats due to the waves. The maximum speed at which the distance between supports upon the two ships may be expected to decrease from waves or other causes may be taken as five feet per second. The forward transitdrum will be speeded so as to haul in the transit-rope at a rate in excess of ten feet per secondsay, for example, at the rate of fifteen feet per second. Now suppose during the transit of a load that the ships lurch toward each other at the maximum rate of five feet per second. Since there are two lengths of the rope E stretched between the ships, this will produce a slack in the rope at the rate of ten feet per second; ,but the rate at which this slack is produced is less than the fifteen-feet-per-second speed of the forward transit-drum, and consequently the forward transit-drum takes up this slack as fast as produced, with five-feet-per-second speed to spare, and the normal elevation of the load is maintained. Suppose now that the ships lurch away from each other. This will demand a greater length of rope on the span, which will be supplied by the backward transit-drum (which for the time being is acting as the tension-drum) by causing it to pay out at a speed accelerated to any extent demanded. Therefore it will be seen that under all possible conditions the apparatus will maintain the load at substantially a normal elevation and relieve itself automatically from undue strain.

The construction above described is the present culmination and embodiment of a series of inventions represented in forms of apparatus differing more or less from that above described, but each of itself embodying more or less of the principles of that above described, and each of itself being, therefore, more or less adapted for success. Therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any single principle involved in the foregoing apparatus or to forms of construction. Among other things I do not limit myself in certain claims to the division of the transit-actuator into two parts, (a forward and backward actuator.) If divided into two parts, I do not limit myself to locating both of them on the same ship, nor to driving both of them by the same motor, nor to the employment of any part of the transit-actuator as the tension device, nor to the location of the tension device on either of the ships; nor do I limit myself to having the transit-rope either continuous or non-continuous, nor to its extending a plurality of times across the span, nor to the engagement of the load-carrier with both branches thereof, nor to the actuation of the load-carrier both forward and backward by the same branch of the transit-rope, nor to the absence of a supporting-cable in addition to the transit-rope; nor do I limit myself to the production of the pulling action by the receiving-boat or by any particular source of power.

I claim- 1. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat,apull-rope, atransitrope,aload-support moved thereby, an actuator of said transitrope and a tension device acting upon said transit-rope, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat,a pull-rope, a transit-rope,a load-support supported and moved thereby, an actuator of said transit-rope and a tension device acting upon said transit-rope, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat,a pull-rope, atransit-rope,a load-support moved thereby, an actuator of said transitrope and a tension device by which and said actuator the transit-rope is held taut, sub stantially as described.

4:. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope,a transit-rope,aload-support moved thereby, an actuator of said transitrope, a tension device by which and said actuator the transit-rope is held taut and means whereby the power exerted upon said transitrope by said actuator may be made to exceed the power exerted by said tension device, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope,a transit-rope,a load-support moved thereby, an actuator of said transitrope, a tension device by which and said actuator the transit-rope is held taut and means whereby said actuator is driven at a speed of actuation exceeding the speed of relative motion between said boats due to the waves, substantially as described.

6. In combination, apullingboat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope extending from one boat to the other and back again, a load-support moved by said transit-rope, an actuator of said transit-rope and a tension device acting upon said transit-rope, substantially as described.

7. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope extending from one boat to the other and back again, a load-carriage running upon one branch of said transit-rope and moved by the other branch thereof, an actuator of said transit-rope and a tension device acting upon said transit-rope, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope,a transit rope,a load-support moved thereby, a tension device acting upon said transit-rope, a rope-drum whereby said transit-rope is actuated and a friction-clutch whereby the movement of said rope-drum is controlled, substantially as described.

9. In combination, a pulling-boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope,a transit-rope,a load-support moved thereby, a rope-drum connected with each end of said transit-rope and friction-- clutches whereby the power of said ropedrums, respectively, is controlled, substantially as described.

10. In combination, apulling-boat, apulled boat, a pull-rope,a transit-rope,a load-support moved ther'eby, a rope-drum connected with each end of said transit-rope, and frictionclutches whereby the power of said ropedrums, respectively, is controlled and a common prime mover whereby said frictiondrums are actuated, substantially as described.

1l. In combination, a pulled boat, a pulling-boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a loadsupport moved by said transit-rope, a forward transit-actuator and a backward transitactuator, substantially as described.

12. In combination, a pulled boat, a pulling-boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a loadsupport moved by said transit-rope, a forward transit-actuator, a backward transit-actuator, means whereby the power of the forward transit-actuator may be reduced below the power of the backward transit actuator, substantially as described.

18. In combination, a pulled boat, a pulling-boat, a pull-rope, a load-carrier, a rope supporting the same, between the boats and means for maintaining a normal elevation of said carrier during its transit consisting of a tension device in which a fluid supported independently of the strain on said supporting rope is caused to flow by said strain, sub st-antially as described. I

14.. In combination, a pulling-boat, apulled boat, a pull-rope, a load-carrier, a transitrope, a load-carrier moved thereby and means for maintaining a normal elevation of said transit-rope during transit, consisting of a tension device in which the pressure of a fluid is opposed to the strain of said transit-rope; substantially as described.

15. In combination, two relatively-moving supports, a transit-rope extending between the same, a forward transit-actuator and a backward transit-actuator acting upon said rope antagonistically, the power applied to said backward transit-actuator beingadapted to yield to the power of the forward transitactuator and thereby pay out the transit-rope under tension, substantially as described.

16. In combination, two relatively-moving supports, a transit-rope extending between the same, a forward transit-actuator and a backward transit-actuator operating upon said rope antagonistically, the power applied to both of said transit-actuators being adapted to yield, substantially as described.

17. In combination, two relatively-moving supports, a transit-rope extending from one support to the other and back again, a loadcarrier having a yielding traction engagement with said rope and a transit-actuator, substantially as described.

18. In combination, two relatively-moving supports, a transit-rope extending from one support to the other and back again, a loadcarriage having a yielding traction engagement with one branch of said rope and a running engagement with the other branch thereof and a transit-rope actuator, substantially as described.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. PIERCE, FRED S. KEMPER. 

